Float-thread cutter.



B. H. MARBLE.

FLOAT THREAD CUTTER.

APPLIOATION FILED 001225, 1909.

1 ,OO2,41 5, Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

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- with a section of the blade.

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

EDWIN H. MARBLE, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CURTIS & MARBLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAS- SACI-IUSETTS.

FLOAT-THREAD CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN H. MARBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Float-Thread Cutter, of which the following is a specification, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my present invention is to provide a more efiicient cutting instrument for severing bridge threads or float threads on fabrics such as lace patterned fabrics, embroideries, open-work goods, spot designs and other textile fabrics, wherein separately disposed spots or figures are woven or inwrought by continuous threads that are floated or bridged from one figure to another and left upon the face of the goods when weaving or embroidering, and which float threads require to be eliminated in the finishing processes.

Another object is to provide an instrument for the purpose named, that can be practically and economically manufactured, and conveniently kept in proper cutting condition when subsequently applied to use.

I attain these objects by an instrument constructed as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved float-thread cutter. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view with the detachable shoe shown in section. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the shoe, Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the shoe as made with its toe or fore-end offset in relation to the central plane of the blade. Fig. 6 is a vertical section at line X X. Fig. 7 is a section at line Y Y. Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 6, but showing a narrow bottomed shoe. Fig. 9 is a section showing a flanged or broad-bottomed shoe; and Fig. 10 illustrates the manner of arranging gangs of float-thread cutters for use.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the body of the knife which consists of a flat plate of steel, of uniform thickness, and formed with shank or attaching portion 2, and an inclined blade portion 3 terminating with an -acute point 5 or wedge-shaped bevel at its extremity and beveled and ground to a sharp cutting edge 4 along its upper line, its bottom line 6 being approximately horizontal for some distance back from the point 5. The cutting edge 4 is best terminated at a short distance back from the point, leaving a small portion 7 which presents a square edge the full thickness of the plate.

The shank portion 2 is provided with an opening or slot 8 for receiving the screw or bolt 9 that serves for attaching the knife to a bar or carrier 10 whereby the device is supported when in use; or other means of attachment and support may be employed if preferred.

Combined with the point of the cutting blade, I provide a detachable guard or bearing shoe 12 adapted to slide on the fabric, and having a rounded or plow-shaped thread-lifting fore-end 13. The shoe is fitted with a longitudinal groove 14 along its upper side adapted for receiving the horizontal lower edge 6 of the cutter-blade 3; said groove terminating near the fore-end with an undercut recess and overlying lip 15 for engaging with and holding upon the extremity of the blade. The shoe is provided at or near its rear end with the upwardly projecting ear or ears 17 that seat against the side of the blade; and a screw, bolt or pin 18 is arranged therein for securing the parts firmly together. By removing the bolt 18 the shoe 12 can be readily detached from the blade to facilitate sharpening of the cutting edge 1, or for renewal of parts when desired.

The edges and corners of the shoe are all properly rounded and smoothed so as to obviate any liability of its catching in the fiber, other than passing under the float threads, and its bottom surface is formed for pressing down the portion of fabric beneath it. The bot-tom may be varied in different instances to suit the texture or style of particular goods whereon it is used. For instance, the shoe may be made with a nar row bottom, as indicated in Fig. 8, or with its bottom of moderate width as indicated in Figs. 2, 1 and 6; or again in some instances it may be formed with comparatively broad flanges 20 at either side, as indicated in Fig. 9 and by dotted lines on Fig. 4. These variations in form are calculated to adapt the means to meet the conditions of work upon various kinds of fabwith its toe or fore-end 13 laterally offset (either right or left) in relation to the central plane or axis, as indicated in Fig. 5. The purpose of thus offsetting the toe point is to compensate for the movement of the fabric or cloth during the time that the blade is advancing sufficiently to sever the loop or float-thread; or so that as the toe 13 plows under the float-thread t the forward feed of the fabric will not drag the loop transversely across the shoe with too great strain before the loop reaches the cutter edge, and thereby pull up the mesh of the fabric. This offset form is designed for use only in cases where the'cutters have to work crosswise of the goods.

In practice, when employed for cutting warp-spot goods, 2'. e., where the connecting bridge loops or float-thread, or threads, lie longitudinal with the fabric, these floatthread cutters are arranged in oppositely V directed gangs.(see Fig. 10) attached to an endwise reciprocating bar, or bars, 10, the fabric 21 to be treated being fed longitudinally forward over a suitable cushion -or rest 23 transversely to the movement of the cutters. The shoes, by their reciprocative movement, slide upon the surface of the fabric and plow their fore-ends under the bridge-loops or float-threads, lifting and guiding the same to the cutting edge of the respective blades, whereby they are readily severed; thus leaving the fabric in condition to be further treated in acloth-shearing machine for eliminating the slanting ends.

When employed for cutting float-threads that extend crosswise of the fabric the cutters are placed longitudinally with the fabric and held in stationary position (or vibrated if preferred) while the fabric is fed forward beneath them; and the cutting effected substantially as above described.

Among the advantages attained by my improved construction above described, may be mentioned. simplicity and economy in manufacture, and the better condition for hardening and tempering the knife-plates or blades; also the convenience of properly grinding or sharpening the vcutter edges,

as the shoe can be readily removed. A further advantage is the adaptability to varying styles and changes of shoes to meet the requirements of difierent styles of fabr1cs.

. I claim 1. Afloat-thread cutter consisting of afiat knife-plate of uniform thickness comprising an attaching-shank portion, provided with an opening therein, and an inclined bladev portion terminating in an acute angled foreend, and having a cutting-edge along its upper line, in combination with a detachable shoe having a longitudinal groove with an under-cut recess at its end, for receiving the acute end of the knife blade, said shoe having upwardly projecting ears that embrace the sides of the knife, and means for securing said shoe to the knife blade.

2. A float-thread cutting instrument consisting of a flat knife-plate comprising a slotted attaching portion and an inclined upwardly-cutting blade portion provided at its forward extremity and bottom line with a detachable guard or bearing-shoe having a rounded thread-lifting fore-end, laterally projecting flanges along its sides, and an approximately straight broad bearing-surface at the bottom thereof, the toe or foreend of said shoe being laterally offset in relation to the central axis.

3. In a float-thread cutter, the inclined upwardly cutting acute-pointed knife-plate having the bevels of its sharp cutting edge terminated at a short distance back from the chisel pointed extremity, in combination with a'bearing-shoe having a longitudinal seating groove for the bottom edge of the knife-plate, with an under-cut recess and lip that engages upon the unsharpened extremity thereof, said shoe provided with upwardly projecting ears that embrace the side surfaces of the knife-plate, and means for securing the parts together.

Witness my hand this 23rd day of October, 1909.

EDWIN H. MARBLE. Witnesses:

CHAs. I-I. BURLEIGH, HENRY W. DRURY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

